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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23246059">Smoking Barrels</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/delicatelingon/pseuds/delicatelingon'>delicatelingon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Good Girls (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 15:28:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,257</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23246059</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/delicatelingon/pseuds/delicatelingon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>*on hiatus*<br/>Beth acts without thinking and Rio tries not to look like he cares while saving her ass, again.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Beth Boland/Rio</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>75</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>It takes place after Beths "miscarriage" and diverts from there.<br/>So much more fun when they work together.<br/>Let me know what you think!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Beth had a special place in her heart for Ben.<br/>
He had been the first baby in the family. After Annie and Greg had gone from living with his parents, to try and live on their own, Annie and Ben had lived with Beth and Dean.<br/>
Dean had tolerated it, he loved kids, just like she did, but living with her sister had ben straining on all of them.<br/>
When Annie and Ben had moved out, Annie had been so determined to stand on her own two feet that she had pulled away from Beth a bit. Beth got that, she really did, a need to be independent, to know you can take care of yourself and your child. It didn’t mean it hadn’t hurt.</p><p>It wasn’t until they had moved out that Beth had felt that want of having her own baby to love and cherish. Ben had received all her love up until that point, she had gone from being a very important figure in his life, to be less important each year. Still, her love for him hadn’t faded and despite having four children on her own she tried to make time for him. Just the two of them, every once in a while.</p><p>This time they were going to try a new Korean restaurant. Beth didn’t mind so much trying new restaurants, Annie were more of a Subway kind of gal.</p><p>Annie had dropped Ben of at the restaurant twenty minutes before the set time. She was always early or late, never just on time. It made Beth hurry through the last of her choirs and she arrived quite flush at the restaurant ready for lunch.</p><p> </p><p>“Ben!” She hollered, the restaurant was busy but not crowded, she had to raise her voice to get his attention.</p><p> </p><p>“Auntie!” He greeted her when he turned on the sound of his name.</p><p> </p><p>She joined him at the table for two, proceeded to shed her coat before giving him a loud kiss on the cheek. Sitting down and just looking at him, made Ben narrow his eyes at her.</p><p> </p><p>“What?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m just so proud of you. You’re just you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay. Now you sound like mom.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, if you didn’t know, we are related.”</p><p> </p><p>“Funny.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thanks, I try.”</p><p> </p><p>Beth starts to study the menu, when a waiter joins them.</p><p> </p><p>“Ben have you decided yet?”</p><p> </p><p>“I figured we’d order a few side dishes and share.”</p><p> </p><p>“Sounds great, would you mind ordering for me?”</p><p> </p><p>Never having had Korean food before, she might as well just go with what Ben wanted to try. After all, she was just here to spend some time with him.<br/>
They chat away, about his mom, Nancy, his dad and baby Dakota. About school, friends and just everything else under the sun. Being happy they have met up, that they still take the time to hang out, when Ben looks curiously at someone next to Beth.<br/>
She glances up to be met by Rios guy, the one with face tattoos that’s been following her around these past days. He giver her a nod as he sits down at the table next to them.</p><p> </p><p>Ben asks, “do you know him?”</p><p> </p><p>“Sort of, friend of a friend.”</p><p> </p><p>Making Dags snort.</p><p> </p><p>“Is he a friend of my mom’s?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh no hun’, not likely.”</p><p> </p><p>That’s seems to relieve him somewhat, Beth’s too unfocused to be able to carry on having a conversation and keeps making erratic small talk about their food.</p><p> </p><p>When Ben excuses himself to use the bathroom, Beth instantly swivels to confront Dags.</p><p> </p><p>“What the heck are you doing here?”</p><p> </p><p>“A guys gotta’ eat. Just like everyone else. You don’t want me to get hangry.”</p><p> </p><p>Then Rio shows up, sitting down on a chair across from Dags, greeting him with a shake of his hand before, and a short, “Elizabeth” to her.</p><p> </p><p>“What are <em>you</em> doing here?”</p><p> </p><p>Which he openly ignores. He scans the menu for a few minutes before signaling to a waiter that he’s ready to order. After he has ordered, he gives Beth a once over, a look that makes her very aware that he’s checking her out.</p><p> </p><p>“You look good today.”</p><p> </p><p>Before she’s got the opportunity to make it obvious she’s ignoring him back, Ben’s returned.</p><p> </p><p>“I should call dad, is that okay?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, of course sweety.” She gives him a warm smile before she’s back to wrestle with the chopstick.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you have illegitimate love- children all over town?” He asks without as much as a glance at her.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, so we were having a love- child? Could’ve fooled me.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re right, let’s call it what it was, a bastard.”</p><p> </p><p>“Fuck you.” Her boldness comes from knowing he won’t hurt her in a public place. They lock in a staring contest that only breaks when Ben returns to have a seat.</p><p> </p><p>“You okay, auntie?”</p><p> </p><p>She tries to shake the heat that Rio had made flame up inside her and give him one of her normal smiles.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t worry about it. What did your dad say?”</p><p> </p><p>“He’s on his way to pick me up, so you don’t have to drop me off. Mum said something about you not being well, that I should remind you of taking it easy.”</p><p> </p><p>“Neat, and really, that’s what your mum said?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, maybe not so much in those words, I’m paraphrasing. She said, <em>make sure auntie Beth eat enough to get food- coma so she’ll lay down for the rest of the day and just rest.</em><br/>
But I speak mom.” He said with a shrug.</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe if I hadn’t been struggling so much with the chopsticks that would’ve worked. I’m not sure I’ve got enough food in my belly to be full. I’m fine, otherwise. Don’t worry about it.”</p><p> </p><p>They chat of the upcoming summer, and how his drawing is going and fills her in on all that little Dakota been up to before Beth settles the check and they’re just sitting in comfortable silence people watching.<br/>
Beth catches Rio’s eye, who she studiously been avoiding, his slouch back in his chair after finishing his meal. He's in dark jeans and a dark, almost grey t shirt, sitting with his arms crossed over his chest.<br/>
It’s just now that she gets that he wants to talk to her, waiting for Ben to get picked up.<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>When Ben phone lights up, they both stand and she gives him a kiss on the cheek and tells him if he ever needs her, she’s just a phone call away.</p><p> </p><p>To which he replies, “I know.”                                      </p><p> </p><p>As she sits down again, she angles her chair towards Rio and Dags.</p><p> </p><p>“What do you want?”</p><p> </p><p>“We’re having a meeting in your workshop in tomorrow morning. You need to be there.”</p><p> </p><p>“With who?”</p><p> </p><p>“Not important for you. You need to tell them what you do, without telling them what it is you do. Sell it.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s all?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah. So don’t fuck it up. If they ask you anything that might give away the process, answer them vaguely. If they don’t talk to you, you don’t talk to them. Got it?”</p><p> </p><p>She thinks it over for a second before she answers, “yes, got it.”</p><p> </p><p>“I meant what I said. You look good today.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay.” She states hesitantly. He had been so cold towards her ever since he got back, and rightly so, that she was just waiting for the other shoe to drop.</p><p> </p><p>“You should wear the same shit tomorrow, they’d eat that up.”</p><p> </p><p>She wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or a subtle dig.</p><p> </p><p>“You haven’t been well?” He asks.<br/>
He isn’t sure if he actually gives a fuck, or he just wants to make sure she can be able to keep making him money.</p><p> </p><p>“The miscarriage. I still have cramps.”<br/>
She gives him a challenging look, as to see if he as any comeback to that. When he avoids her gaze, she stands up, ready for this conversation to be over. She needs a drink, as she makes her way past him, he grabs her by the arm.</p><p> </p><p>“I meant what I said. Don’t fuck it up and put on your sweet momma voice and sell that shit.”</p><p> </p><p>“I said I got it.” She answers him sharply, pulls her arm free and exits the restaurant.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>Beth tweaked her outfit from the day before, Rio had never asked anything like this before from her and she wanted to be ready. She kept the skinny black jeans, instead of her ankle boots she opted for a pair of black velvet pumps, giving her some height. Deciding to wear a bit of a more reviling long-sleeved shirt, showing both shoulders and a bit of a cleavage.<br/>
She put her hair in a loose ponytail and added some makeup, giving her a nude-look, which she'd discovered suited her very well.</p><p> </p><p>Rio shows up when she is making the backroom look presentable. The once over both he and Dags gives her ups her confidence. They talk it over, barely, but the do’s and don’t’s, the energy he exudes is jittery and makes her nervous. He doesn’t <em>seem</em> nervous on the outside, but acts restless.</p><p> </p><p>They hear the soft rumble of an engine, it doesn’t take long before its cut and the backdoor opens. Beth didn’t really know what she had expected, excepts she knows it isn’t this.<br/>
A tall man in his mid-forties, if she guessed, clean cut and hair slicked back, black with grey speckles in it. Expensive clothes, and <em>hot. </em>If she would be forced to describe him in one word it would be <em>fuck-hot.</em> And she wouldn’t put it past Annie to pull it out her when she recounts it later.</p><p> </p><p>He gives Rio a big, <em>warm</em> smile and exclaims, “Rio.”<br/>
Walking towards him with extended arms.</p><p> </p><p>Rio jumps down the table his been perched on and gives him a small smile back and goes to give him a full hug.</p><p> </p><p>“How’s it going André?”</p><p> </p><p>“All’s well.” André motions to Beth, whose been hanging back with Dags, “this the moneymaker?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yep.”</p><p> </p><p>André walks forward to shake Beth’s hand, his handsome face gives her a warm smile and she tries not to swoon as she matches his smile.<br/>
It’s the shadow by the door, André’s man she presumes, keeping guard outside by the door, that reminds her that he’s a criminal.</p><p> </p><p>She shows him some of the process, Rio’s standing back but always by her side, as she and André talks. Giving him the full show, as much as she can without giving anything away. And damn if the man isn’t charming. Complimenting her and making her eyes glisten in amusement.</p><p>She’s not dumb, she can tell he’s laying it on, flirting with her, if she’s honest, she doesn’t mind it all that much. It doesn’t help with the butterflies in her stomach, if anything it’s made it worse, but it helps because it keeps her head clear.<br/>
She’s not that naïve, he want’s something from her that's why he's flirting. The easiest way for her to keep him at an arms distance is to play along. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t enjoy it.</p><p> </p><p>When she’s standing opposite Andre, a table between them, different stages of the money process laid out in front of them, is when Rio surprises her.<br/>
She’s mid-sentence, leaned forward with both hands spread out on the table as she explains a part of the process, she feels Rio chest pressed at her back.<br/>
It’s so out of the ordinary it makes her paus, he takes the oppertunity to place his hands next to hers and fills André in on what she is explaining.<br/>
She’s tall in her pumps. So tall it’s the perfect height for Rio to rest his chin against her shoulder, and he does.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ever since that meeting, things had been even more awkward between Beth and Rio. He had kept claiming her during the meet. Keeping a hand on her hip, as soon as André had thanked them for their time, Rio had gone back to given Beth a cold shoulder.<br/>She had heard the soft bell from the front, signaling a customer and she had to leave Dags and Rio to it. Saving her from having to confront Rio about the fact that she wasn’t <em>his </em>or <em>anyone’s</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That’s why Annie’s with her as she is sitting outside waiting for Rio to show up. A buffer of sort, they are casing new places for the money operation, apparently Rio wants to open up a similar shop and use it as a front. Both to clean cash and make it. Making Beth the front person for it, much to her chagrin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t need to know that”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I know, but I’m telling you anyway.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Please don’t. And I thought you promised Ben you wouldn’t see that guy again.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, he moved out of his car and got a place. It’s small. But. You know, not his car.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Cockroaches?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just a few.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ugh, disgusting.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’s broke. What do you want me to do?”<br/><br/></p>
<p>“Have higher standards?” Beth answers her with an eyeroll, “Oh, Jesus!” Beth exclaimed, putting her hand over her heart.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nah, just me.” Showing up as the sisters bickered, Rio had parked further down the street. Figuring it would be less conspicuous than having his big car parked in front of closed store every other night.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re right. He’s like a genie.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Annie.” Beth hissed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rio was already on his way back to his car, when he turned his head towards them, “keep up!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The sisters begrudgingly rose from their seats and followed him to his car.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You sure this is a good idea, sis’?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We don’t really have a choice.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Once they got closer to the car, Annie suddenly cried, “Shotgun!” Running the few feet that were left, making sure she got to sit in the passenger seat. Much to Beth’s relief. Her outburst had Rio startled before he slowly opened his car door getting in.</p>
<p>It took Annie all the restraints she had to sit quietly for the first few minutes, before she started to fiddle with his radio.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nope. Nope. Kinda? Maybe later. Nope. Good tune.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Let my radio be.” He shut it off.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Okay, dude.” Annie very snarky answered.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Making Beth wonder if she had a death wish. Annie started humming on the last song she had heard on the radio, completely off- key. She it a few notes, she missed enough to make it sound like nails on a chalkboard to Beth. It’s not that she <em>can’t </em>sing, she isn’t all that bothered about it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“I was told not to love him</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I was told not to try</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I was lonely the only</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Til’ he said he’d be mine</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>He will leave me for younger</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He will leave me to cry</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Cut the knife a little deeper</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Count the days I survived”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>“If you’re going to sing, could you please not sing off- key at least?” Beth's leaning forward as she talk to Annie.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So- rr- y. I’m car- singing, you’re not meant to sing all proper.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then can you just be quiet for like, five fuckin’ seconds?” Beth started to seriously regret bringing Annie.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rio telling that the tension between the sister in the car is about to bring out the worst in the sisters. He makes a quick decision to put the radio back on again. To a station of <em>his </em>choosing.</p>
<p><br/>“Don’t. Touch it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s what she said.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Annie.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her answer makes Beth roll her eyes, staring out of the window. It didn’t take long until she was softly singing along to the tune as well. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s not that Beth wants to drag it out, it’s just that since she’s part of the store- hunting she wants the perfect store. The one where she just walks in and feels like <em>this is the one.</em> Knowing that this is as close she ever is to owning her own store. They need a few backrooms, for the personnel, for printing cards, for printing money and be able to load and unload away from prying eyes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rio shuts the engine as Beth takes the window shop and entrance in, it’s an old brick store. Placed in on the outskirt of a busier part of town, located close enough to easily get customers, but far away to still stand on its own.<br/>Trailing after Rio, they key’s jingles as he unlocks the front door. Annie’s on his trail and Beth’s not too far behind, when she suddenly feels the cold barrel of a gun on the back of her head.<br/>It makes her gasp and then there’s a bag over her head and she’s pulled backwards.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The car ride is quiet, her hands have been tied with cable ties behind her back. She has no idea if she’s alone or if they got Annie and Rio as well. She’s having difficulties breathing, remembering what happened last time she had a bag put over her head. Trying not to cry, having tears escaping anyway.<br/>Taking a few deep breaths, calming herself.<br/>Telling herself she’s fine. Annie’s not here, ‘cause she can’t hear her, and if Annie was in the same car she would’ve heard her.<br/>They must’ve waited for her, why?<br/>It couldn’t be Rio.<br/>Why did they ger her and not Rio?</p>
<p>Having no clue as to where they are headed, she clocks the instant they head of a main road and on to a dirt road. What if they just take her somewhere to shoot?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When the car stops, she’s hauled out of the car, being halved dragged and staggering to wherever they are headed.</p>
<p>Now they’re inside, and she’s forcefully shoved to sit on a chair.<br/>Her hands are still tied behind her back and then they tie her legs with cable ties to the chair.<br/>Then she’s left alone, to sit in the darkness of having a bag over her head. She suspects there's someone else in the room with her. She can’t be certain, too afraid to call out.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p>She feels her breath hitting the fabric and it’s becoming wet from her exhale. The zip ties are digging into her skin, she tries to roll her shoulders and move her wrists with what little movement is allowed. Her arms are starting to ache from the unnatural position they are locked into.</p><p>Times moving but she is unsuccessful of telling at what pace, has she been there for hours or minutes?</p><p> </p><p>The hinges creeks awfully loud as they are pushed opened. She’s hasn’t been dozing more being lulled into saving her strength and her mind has been blissfully blank. It’s instantly filled with regret. She should have done <em>something</em> by now, instead she’s been the picture perfect of a docile and compliant housewife.</p><p> </p><p>“Everythin’ a’ight?” The newcomer asks her guard.</p><p> </p><p>A grunt is all she can hear in response.</p><p> </p><p>“Time to make a phone call.” It’s the same voice as before.</p><p> </p><p>Her hair follows the movement of the fabric uncomfortably as it being lifted and her eyes are exposed to the bright light of the room. She tries to blink and find her bearings, hoping to pretend to be even more disoriented as she scans the area. The room is sparse except for a table, a few chairs and some tools.</p><p>It’s looks as she’s held in someone’s shed, she doesn’t know what that means. Is that good, or bad?</p><p> </p><p>One of her captors is already seated the other one pulls a chair up to her. Before he sits down, he reaches behind her and her already beating pulse start beating even faster. He uses one of her thumbs to unlock her phone and she releases the breath she’s holding.</p><p> </p><p>He grunts and asks her, “where is it?” expecting a reply.</p><p>When she doesn’t give him one, he asks again, “where’s his number?”</p><p> </p><p>“Who?” Her words come out weird, her tongue feels like it’s stuck to the top of her mouth and she tries to moisten it.</p><p> </p><p>Before she has time to react, he slaps her across her face. She’s proud of the fact that she doesn’t scream, she only lets out a small cry. Her lower lip hurts and when she flicks her tongue out, she can taste the metallic of her blood.</p><p> </p><p>“His number.” His barely looked up from her phone even when he slapped her.</p><p> </p><p>Her mouth still feels dry and now her lip ache, “uh, it’s saved under ‘bouncy house’ “.</p><p> </p><p>Scrolling through her contacts it doesn’t take long until his found it, he waits until it’s picked up and when Beth hears a low, “ ’lo?” and Rio’s voice, her captor doesn’t say anything.<br/>
Instead he reaches her around her until he gets a hold on her wrists and twists her arm until she thinks it’s going to bend in ways it isn’t supposed to bend.</p><p>She’s barely aware that’s she screaming, the pain that’s shooting through her arm, her pinky that his big hand has slid down to with a firm grip keeps her arm twisted.</p><p>When he lets go, she pants, she realizes her eyes has been squeezed shut and she tries to regulate her breathing.</p><p>The man sits down back on the chair, almost slouches, with a small grin tugging in the corner of his mouth. He looks like a bad guy and she honestly doesn’t know what he wants or why he’s got her. For all she knows he looks like one of Rio’s goons.</p><p>Rio hasn’t said anything since she stopped screaming and it dawns on her he isn’t going to. No one is coming for her. While she was waiting in darkness, she still held hope, now she knows.</p><p>She does what she does best, fucks up the situation more, acting without thinking. Feelings being hurt, she lifts her foot and kicks with all the strength she can muster at the man’s knee.</p><p> </p><p>He let’s out a loud, “Ooow.”</p><p>Instantly he backhands her, earning a cry from her, and spits out, “Cunt.”</p><p>Speaking to Rio now he says, “we’ve got her,” before he promptly hangs up.</p><p>He regards her and she’s frightened, her lip is starting to swell, and it feels sore as it quivers in anticipation at his next move. Seemingly to have lost interest he rises from his seat and walks out. The hinges creaking just as much as they did before, and she tenses when it’s slammed shut.</p><p> </p><p>Her other keeper sighs, he’s younger, <em>young, </em>she instantly recognizes a week spot but in what way she doesn’t know yet.</p><p>Bringing a water bottle with him he now sits down in the empty chair in front her, he raises the bottle in a silent question to her.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, please.” Her voice sounds as raspy to her ears as it feels.</p><p> </p><p>She tries not to be too greedy with the water that’s presented at her lips. Once she sated, he screws the cap on. Picks the hood up and rearranges it, when it begins to dawn to her what he’s about to do she pleads,</p><p>“Please, don’t, don’t, not again. Please.”</p><p> </p><p>He doesn’t look happy as what he’s about to do, he’s mouth pulled down to a frown, but he doesn’t hesitate as he pulls it over her face again.</p><p>It’s a few seconds, then she hears the scraping of the chair, the screaming hinges and she’s left to her thoughts. A lip she can practically feel swell more for every second, as she tries to not think of her pinky that’s sure to be broken.</p><p> </p><p>She isn’t alone for long, she’s alerted to the door that’s pushed open and she feels the tell tales signs of a gun being pressed against the back off her head and she can’t control the sob that rips through her body as she lets it out.</p><p>She hears a snip and then her hands are falling apart and she rubs them gingerly. Hesitantly she brings the uninjured one up and pulls the hood off and drops it to the floor.</p><p> </p><p>The younger one is hovering over her and he tells her, “get up”.</p><p> </p><p>He leads her out of the shed and into a house, there are more men there, and walks her to the kitchen. A guy she’s never seen before waits for her at the table, the house is anything but inviting or warm, so it surprises her that despite it all it looks like it’s well looked after and loved.</p><p>The guy with the gun presses her down to sit on one of the chairs, with a hand to her shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m Frank.” They guy introduces himself, when his outstretched hand is ignored he drops it.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re Elizabeth. I know about you and I know Rio. You’re going to have to stay with us for a bit ‘til we’ve sorted a few things out. If all ends well,” he gives her a pointed look, “you’ll eventually get home to your family. If not, well…”</p><p> </p><p>“He’s not going to come for me.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh?” He doesn’t look like he believes her and it settles in her uncomfortably. “You better hope you’re wrong.”</p><p> </p><p>“What if,” she licks her lips, “what if you and I could work something out.”</p><p> </p><p>“Whatever you think you can offer me, it’s not what I want.”</p><p> </p><p>“If you know me and you know Rio,” she doesn’t want to say it, to give anything away, “you must know what I can offer.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t want your money,” his voice suddenly ice cold, “I want Rio’s head on a fuckin’ plate.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
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